As technology advances, products get small and more efficient, and if you're looking for efficiency in an alarm clock, the TimeSmart Self-Setting clock radio is a fantastic choice. It includes all the essentials, including a dual-alarm system and presets for the radio. Overall, this little alarm clock is great for waking you up on the go and keeping you on schedule at home.

At first glance, this alarm clock seems to be almost too simple. This is why we like it so much. Its dual-alarm setup makes for easy wake-up calls. When you set the alarm, there are two buttons located on the top of the clock, on either side. After setting the times you want to wake up, push the button and it will pop up, indicating the alarm is now set. Once you push the button back in, the alarm is off. The snooze button sits in-between the two alarms, so accidentally turning the alarm off in the morning can happen. The dual crescendo alarms can each wake you gradually, making waking up a breeze.

As soon as the clock is out of the box, set up in simple. There is a reason it’s called a TimeSmart clock. Each clock is set to a master clock, and all you have to do is plug it in and set your time zone. The battery backup has an extra-long life span – it lasts five years, so the time will always be accurate. The clock also automatically adjusts for daylight savings time.

One of the best features of this clock is it offers two separate ports for headphones and MP3 players or CD players. This is a fantastic feature since most alarm clocks don't include headphone jacks. Falling asleep to your favorite song will sound even better, since you can plug in some headphones instead of using the speaker.

The design of this clock would be right at home on a 1980s nightstand, but retro designs have made a comeback, and we find it an appealing aspect of the alarm clock. Wrapped all around the back of the clock is the speaker. While the speaker is not horribly powerful, it does its job well in close quarters. Plus, hooking in your headphones is really the way to go with this clock to get the best sound. All the buttons are located on the top of the clock.

One problem you might run into is tuning the stations. There are forward and backward tuning buttons on the clock, but they move very slowly through the frequencies; we suggest using the AM/FM presets to navigate radio stations quickly. You can adjust the brightness of the screen. The four settings are high, medium, low and off. The brightest setting is overwhelming during the nighttime hours, but the brightness gets much better with any other setting.

As with any Brookstone product, the TimeSmart alarm clock comes with a one-year warranty with options to upgrade to an extra one or two year extension. This covers any damage or internal issues that might happen while you have the clock. There are also different replacement options, so you may be able to get a brand new replacement clock should anything happen. Brookstone has many different locations around the country and a toll-free number that you can call for any questions.